00:00 Pastor PJ is in CA Getting a Tan!

00:35 Today's Reading: Acts 24-26

00:39 Resource Recommendation: Drive Thru History

01:45 Paul's Trial Before Felix

03:03 Paul's Defense and Imprisonment

05:45 Paul Appeals to Caesar

06:30 Paul's Testimony Before King Agrippa

10:14 Conclusion and Reflections

Welcome back Bible readers.

2

It is just me today.

3

So I'm sorry to disappoint you.

4

But pastor PG is in California.

5

And as we let you know, in one

of our prior podcasts, he's in

6

California meeting with the two

boards, not just one, but two.

7

And so you can pray for him as he's gone.

8

We miss him.

9

I want him back.

10

I can't wait for him to be back.

11

And of course I want

him back on the podcast.

12

'cause it's hard to do this by ourselves.

13

I know you don't know what it feels

like to do this, but just trust us.

14

It's not as fun as doing

it with somebody else.

15

So please pray for his safe

travel and his safe arrival.

16

Uh, in fact, by the time that you listen

to this, he'll be on his way back.

17

I'm not sure what time he gets.

18

He gets back home.

19

Uh, but I know it's on

Friday, which is today.

20

And today's reading by the

way, we're looking at three

21

chapters, acts 24, 25 and 26.

22

Let me, before we jump into

that, I want to encourage you

23

to take a look at a resource.

24

I forgot to bring this up in

one of our prior podcasts, but

25

somebody wrote in and told us.

26

Hey, you need to take a look

at drive through history.

27

Uh, there is on prime.

28

I forget which prime video my guests.

29

There's a free series.

30

I suspect if it's on prime.

31

Uh, that talks about drive-thru history

and it's geared toward Christians.

32

And it's talking about the

world of the first Christians.

33

Uh, the host, Dave Stott says here.

34

It takes the viewer literally

on tour, beginning with acts

35

throughout church history.

36

So what a cool thing that would be

free to do, I've seen it before,

37

in fact, Now that I think about it.

38

I've seen it a few times.

39

I'm sure.

40

And he's really fun.

41

He's it he's engaging.

42

He's a fun, fun guy to watch.

43

He's also on what's that other platform?

44

It's orange.

45

Oh, oh, I got it right now.

46

Media he's on that as well.

47

I've seen it there.

48

That's where I've seen it.

49

So there you go.

50

Something to utilize another

resource for you to use.

51

As you read your Bible, you really cool

to see places and, and kind of envision

52

faces where things actually took place.

53

So a drive through history, take a

look at that while you have a chance.

54

Without further ado, let's

jump into the text and I'm

55

going to try to be brief here.

56

And I don't think you need a

whole lot of commentary from me.

57

Especially without pasture.

58

PJ is just no fun without both of us.

59

So acts chapter 24, let's start there.

60

In this harrowing account, you have

just remembered that Paul is now in

61

Jerusalem and he's being tried for

being a really a division causer

62

he's somebody who's a rabble rouser.

63

We might say he's someone that

the Jews think is a threat

64

to what's happening there.

65

And then so they arrest him and

they're now trying to try him in

66

such a way as to get him removed.

67

As we last saw in acts chapter 23.

68

Claudius Lizzie is the name of the Tribune

that first got involved in Paul's case.

69

Is now sending him to Phoenix, the

governor, which is going to be in Cesarea.

70

So that's going to be, I don't know.

71

60, 80, a hundred, a hundred

miles north of Jerusalem.

72

Off of the coast.

73

And so he's being sent there to

Felix, the governor to have him.

74

Hopefully deal with Paul.

75

And that's where we pick

up in acts chapter 24.

76

So after five days, it says here,

the high priest and a nice came down

77

with some elders and a spokesman.

78

One Tulis.

79

So he's their lawyer.

80

He's going to be their

mouthpiece to defend their case.

81

And so they send their delegation, they

send their spokesperson to tool-less.

82

He first speaks up before Felix.

83

He offers pleasantries and says,

look, you're, you're amazing.

84

You're wonderful.

85

Please help us take care of this guy.

86

You'll find that by examining him

yourself, you'll be able to find

87

that he is everything that we said.

88

And so much more your excellency.

89

He might've said.

90

And so the Jews are firmness.

91

And Paul replies once

he has the opportunity.

92

Look, none of this is true.

93

You can't verify any of this,

but you can't verify that.

94

I have no part of what they're saying.

95

In fact, the reason I'm here

is because of my hope in God.

96

Which these men themselves, except

that there will be a resurrection

97

of both adjust and the unjust.

98

And so Paul doubles down.

99

On his defense, that this is in

regard to the resurrection and he

100

kind of rests his case after that.

101

And the second half of chapter 24.

102

Felix.

103

He says here has an accurate

knowledge of the way.

104

And, uh, to put them off saying, we,

excuse me, when Lizzie is, the Tribune

105

comes down, I will decide your case.

106

He's buying himself some time here.

107

And honestly, he's such a good

politician that he knows what he's doing.

108

He's buying himself time.

109

Yes.

110

But he's also playing into

the hands of both parties in

111

particular, the parties of the Jew.

112

The juice.

113

He wants them to feel like

he's potentially being a

114

one over to their cases.

115

So he gives him space and time,

hopefully for cooler heads to prevail.

116

And he keeps him there

for quite a long time.

117

Now, one of the benefits here

is that as Paul's in, uh, in

118

prison here, he's now having the

opportunity to write some letters,

119

to have people attend to his needs.

120

So it's potential here at this time

during his stay in Cesarea that he's

121

still utilizing the time to get work done.

122

And so, uh, after a period of time,

you'll notice here at the, at the

123

end of chapter 24 in verse 27 here,

it says when two years had elapsed,

124

Felix was succeeded by Portia's Festus

and desiring to do, to do the Jews

125

a favor, Felix, left Paul in prison.

126

And so Paul is now two years in prison,

intercessory he's in good conditions.

127

He's not suffering in any major

sense, but he's imprisoned still

128

for something that he did not do.

129

This is part of God's plan for Paul.

130

This was not a mistake or an accident and.

131

So Paul buckles down.

132

In acts chapter 25 Porsche's

Festus enters the picture.

133

He takes over and he's now

faced with what to do with Paul.

134

In Jerusalem.

135

The elders begged him, basically,

please send Paul back to

136

Jerusalem and let us handle him.

137

And of course their

desire is not positive.

138

They would like to kill him.

139

And this is one way for

them to deal with him.

140

But he, uh, Porsche Festus

pushes back and says, no, thanks.

141

Let me figure out what to do with this.

142

And so he heads down.

143

Uh, to, to Cesarea, which is going

to be north near the coast to

144

figure out what to do with Paul.

145

Now the Jews who previously argued

against Paul follow him and they

146

lay out their charges there.

147

When Paul is offered the

opportunity to defend themselves.

148

He says, look, I have.

149

Uh, done nothing against the law

of the Jews nor against the temple.

150

He says in verse eight.

151

Nor against Caesar.

152

Have I committed any offense?

153

And of course that's true.

154

Festus knows this, the Jews,

they know this, but he wants

155

to placate the Jewish people.

156

And so he's asked Paul if he wants

to go back down or up to Jerusalem,

157

and Paul says, no, no way, Jose.

158

To summarize him.

159

I'm right.

160

Where I should be.

161

I've done nothing wrong.

162

And if I deserve to die,

I'm okay with dying.

163

But that's not the case here.

164

And so he says, I appeal to Caesar.

165

Festus Porsche's Festus can, uh, councils.

166

He has counsel with his counsel.

167

And then finally he acquiesces

and he says, okay, I guess

168

I'm sending you to Cesar.

169

You are a Roman citizen after all.

170

At this time, king Agrippa

and Bernice arrive in Cesarea.

171

And Festus sees an opportunity

here to get his input on what

172

to say about, but he's confused.

173

He doesn't know what to say to Caesar.

174

As he sends Paul along his way, he

has nothing to charge him against.

175

So the question's going to come up.

176

Why he's, why is he even

in prison to begin with?

177

And so he seeks the advice of king

Agrippa and Bernice, and then he

178

says, all right, I'm happy to help.

179

So when verses 23, Do the end

of the chapter in verse 27 here.

180

He asked for his input and

now Paul has a chance to offer

181

his response to king Agrippa.

182

And that takes us to chapter 26.

183

Acts 26 is exciting because Paul

is sharing his testimony and

184

showing us in a masterful way.

185

How to call for a response.

186

And so in the first few

verses here, A grip.

187

It turns to Paul and says, you have

permission to speak for yourself.

188

This is exactly what Paul wanted.

189

He stretched out his hand

and made his defense.

190

You can imagine Paul in front of you.

191

Putting his hand down saying, oh,

king Agrippa and he says this,

192

I consider myself fortunate.

193

, I consider myself fortunate that

it is before you king Agrippa.

194

I'm about to make my defense today

against all the accusations of the Jews.

195

And so Paul begins to tell his story.

196

This is his testimony.

197

He talks about how from his youth he had

been known to be a certain kind of a guy.

198

He was zealous for the law.

199

He was the kind of guy who was from

the right tribe from the right people.

200

He even chased down Christians, the

very people that he now defends and

201

the very Christ he now speaks about.

202

We're the same people that he was zealous

to tackle and zealous to take to prison.

203

That was what he was doing.

204

However, he spills a lot of incubator.

205

Talk about what God did for him.

206

, he talks about Jesus speaking

to him in the Hebrew language.

207

Which was probably Aramaic here

in verse 14, saying Saul, Saul,

208

why are you persecuting me?

209

He turns to figure out who it is.

210

You've read this story before.

211

And yet Luke sees fits or recount this

story at a critical time in, in his,

212

uh, his acts of the apostles here.

213

I think it's important because.

214

Paul is, uh, he's a crucial

turning point for the church.

215

I mean, we're talking about

Paul going to the Gentiles.

216

The church is now expanding further

than the reaches of Jerusalem Malone.

217

Now he Paul's already been doing this.

218

But this particular instance, he's

about to make the turn to Rome.

219

And so I think this is just a

reminder here of what God is doing

220

in Paul's life, in a particular

Paul, as a tool in his hands.

221

And so he says, look, I'm going to send

you to, to reach it, to reach the Gentiles

222

verse 17, to open their eyes verse 18

so that they may turn from darkness to

223

light from the power of Satan to God that

they may receive forgiveness of sins.

224

And a place among those who

are sanctified by faith in me.

225

And so he says to king Agrippa

look, I don't want to be

226

disobedient to this heavenly vision.

227

Uh, this is my job.

228

This is my call, and I'm not

going to respond to that.

229

Poorly and I'm going

to do the right thing.

230

And as he was saying, these things.

231

Porsche's Festus chimes in.

232

I remember he's talking to king

Agrippa Festus chimes in and

233

says with a loud voice, Paul.

234

Uh, as, as one group said,

you're insane in the membrane.

235

And maybe someone else

that insane in the brain.

236

I don't know, but that's my suspicion.

237

And Paul says, look,

I'm not out of my mind.

238

I'm not into my mind.

239

I'm saying true and rational words.

240

I love that.

241

And Christian message, even though

it is strange, is true and rational.

242

We're not saying things.

243

That are fanciful or mythological.

244

We're saying things that make sense.

245

The, the pieces fit together.

246

Now, do we have every question answered?

247

Certainly not, but we have

true and rational words.

248

And this is what Paul.

249

This is what Paul depends upon.

250

He's he's investing his whole

life into this one message

251

and that mission and message.

252

And so he says in verse 27 king

Agrippa do you believe the prophets?

253

I know that you believe.

254

And Agrippa says Paul, in a short time,

would you persuade me to be a Christian?

255

What a good question.

256

King Agrippa is asking, do you

want me to be a Christian Paul?

257

And of course, Paul responds

the way that you and I would.

258

He says, uh, whether short or long I

would to God that not only you, but also

259

all who hear me this day might become

such as I am, except for these chains.

260

I want you to come to Christ.

261

I don't want you to go to prison with me.

262

But I'd love to, free to go to

heaven with me is what he says.

263

And so after his testimony

and after making his defense.

264

Both king Agrippa and Festus

come to the conclusion.

265

Like he could have been, let go.

266

He should have been, let go.

267

There's no reason for him to be in prison.

268

Uh, if he had not appealed to Caesar,

this would have been a much more simple

269

case, but as you, and I know, even though

Paul is the one who appealed to Caesar

270

to have to have him try before him.

271

It's not Paul alone.

272

That's operating.

273

This is God.

274

The spirit working through Paul to get

him where he needs to go, which is Rome.

275

And it's results.

276

You're going to go.

277

We know eventually he does get there.

278

It's just going to take him some time.

279

All these bumps along the road

to where God wants to take.

280

Paul, you might think, man, what a

difficult season of life it was for Paul.

281

And certainly that's true.

282

But doesn't it.

283

Pretty typically happen.

284

That God works through all the twists

and turns of life that he sends us,

285

the things that you and I would see

as being diversions from the mission

286

or the things that we would see as.

287

Uh, distractions or, uh, things that

kind of slow us down from the purpose

288

that we think God has designed us for

God is purposefully placing in our path

289

to get us exactly where he wants us.

290

I think about following a path of water.

291

You know, a little stream of water

as it navigates around rocks, and

292

it goes under this and around that.

293

And eventually it gets what needs to go,

whatever, wherever that tributary leads.

294

God's going to get us where we need to go.

295

And like, Paul, we need to just trust that

God's going to put us where we need to

296

be in order to bear testimony for Christ.

297

What a great thing for us to be reminded

about as we close out chapter 26.

298

Hey, thanks for joining me.

299

Keep on reading and I'll look

forward to seeing you again, just

300

me until pastor PG comes back.

301

But I look forward to seeing

you guys again tomorrow.

302

For another edition of the daily

Bible podcast, have a great one.